Saturday, November 17, 2018

Round Robin Blog for November

The question we were asked this month is: How has writing rewarded you? What has it cost you?

I can honestly say that writing has rewarded me far more than I ever expected. In terms of what it cost me? Maybe a few friendships along the way but life is all about checks and balances and I have made many more friends in the writing community.

Being an army family we moved to the beat of its drum so I never knew how long we would be in one place. The reward, though, of each new school was discovering its library and there, I excelled because I read books way above my grade and so became popular with the librarians who were often the English teachers, too. Yes, I sucked up big time in order to get my hot little hands on more books than the curriculum required.

In my early teens, I switched from reading to writing. I was absolutely convinced I had what it took to be an author. Sadly, my tales of Virginia, Girl of the Golden West, went nowhere due, in retrospect, to the largely purple prose of the author. I tinkered with writing, gaining along the way prizes for essay writing at school and good passes in English Literature and Grammar (taught as separate subjects back then).   

Once I left school, writing faded into the background as I discovered boys, movies, and rock n’ roll – not necessarily in that order. However, I was always writing something, even if it was only an annual report for work until I decided to write a book for my daughter. The book was If Wishes Were Horses and took me two years to complete but it satisfied me in a way that reading didn’t. There was nothing better than curling up with a notebook (yes, I wrote in longhand) beside a blazing fire with the dogs snoring on the hearth once the kids were in bed, or shutting myself in my room on Sundays with a flask of coffee and a pile of sandwiches.  

Over the years I know my writing has caused coolness in some friendships because of the days when I’ve said ‘no’ to this or that proposed outing because I wanted to write. The times, mostly with family, when I have been uncommunicative because I was deep in my story have not necessarily been understood. Joining a writing group was the best thing I ever did because, being with other people who ‘get it’, is just the best. Overall, writing has given me much more in terms of satisfaction than just about anything else, so for me there has been far more reward than cost.

Check out these other fine writers and see what they have to say:



8 comments:

  1. I find it sad that many libraries are providing fewer printed books because of increased on-line content. Luckily paperback novels are still sold in many stores, but I have to admit I only read from my Kindle now. Enjoyed your post. Writers seem to share many of the same traits and background.

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    1. I love my Kindle for when I travel, or my phone if I have to but I still much prefer to hold a proper book in my hand!

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  2. I guess I've been more fortunate as both my family and friends have "understood" and given me the space I've needed.

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    1. It took a long time for my family to understand my need to write. My daughter once told me she would never read anything I wrote. My sons, on the other hand, have read everything and not only enjoyed my books but recommended them to their friends, too. Takes all sorts, for all reasons!

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  3. Good post and I know those uncommunicative posts as you're working out a story. Unless they're writers they don't get it.

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    1. Two of my closest friends, who are not writers, are now a little more understanding when my eyes glaze over and I come out with a comment totally unrelated to our conversation!

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  4. Writing does have its costs. A good writing group is such a boon. I've been in one for nearly 20 years, and it's mutated and changed members and locationsm but we're all committed to becoming better writers and helping each other. It's a real positive!

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  5. My writing group is the reason I got published so I will be forever grateful to them.

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